Wingin’ It

There’s something very comforting about plopping into a wingback chair with a good book or the Sunday New York Times. The cozy “wings” feel very protective too—shrouding you from any drafts. Many modern wingback chairs have taken on a more fluid and curvy silhouette, as compared to the very linear wingbacks of our great grandparents. There are so many iconic wingback chairs, but here are a few of my favorites.
This Hans Wegner Papa Bear Chair is at the top of my wishlist. I don't care if it's a vintage or a new reproduction...

I just love the shape and form of this Papa Bear Wingback Chair—it's like a piece of art.

This vintage wingback is very traditional and rustic, in the spirit of the 17th century...

...I like the open back, and checked fabric.

In contrast, this Bergere wingback is very modern with a fluid silhouette and a somewhat loose interior structure. The chair has a swing movement with fully removable covers. I think I’d like the cover interior in a solid fabric, and the exterior in some sort of modern toile.

Tom Dixon waved his magic wand on this sleek and tall wingback upholstered in mohair velvet.

These masculine black wingbacks have a traditional silhouette, but the glossy black legs give them a modern edge.

This Bel Air Wingchair takes the elements of a traditional wingback and turns it into a chaise. I love the nail head detailing.

Mr. Peacock is swooning over the clean and curvy lines of this modern beauty.

I like the sharp angles of this vintage mid-century wingback (it’s already been sold, but I wanted to share the shape).

I like the tufted backs on this pair of vintage wingbacks chairs upholstered in pale blue linen.

I like the turned wood legs too.

The Italians expertly create flowing, modern silhouettes. This modern wingback chair reminds me of an elegant praying mantis with its long legs.

Mr. Peacock loves this Italian wingback! It has a smaller scale than most, but it still has the comforting attributes of larger scaled wingbacks.

It’s perfect for an apartment too. When I first sat in this chair (in Milan) it wasn’t available in California (long story-fire hazards), but I believe it’s now available here.

Speaking of chairs, this book, Once Upon a Chair, is on my book wish list.

I once found a wood wingback chair frame abandoned on the sidewalk at 58th & Park Avenue, in Manhattan. I wasn't sure if someone was going to load it in a van or something, so I waited and asked people in the vicinity if the chair was theirs. It wasn't, so I hailed a cab and dragged the chair frame back to my apartment. I liked it just as an object without any upholstery, but I ended up upholstering it myself in natural linen.

Hopefully you have a wingback chair (or at least a favorite comfy chair) to plop into this weekend and read the Sunday paper or a good book!

Farewell to my faves…

Our neighborhood video store announced they would be closing at the end of this month and put their entire inventory up for sale. We stopped by and bought a few cds. I felt like I was scavenging through the belongings of a friend that just passed away. I guess I took it for granted it would always be there.

I refuse to rent from Blockbuster, which also has a store in our neighborhood. Ironically, they are closing too. The convenience and selection of Netflix is so easy, most video stores will probably go by the wayside—if they haven’t already. We did Netflix the first year they launched, but became disenchanted with it for too many reasons to list here and quit our membership.

Jason dragged me to the 8th Annual San Francisco Documentary Film Festival this past Sunday afternoon at The Roxie theater near our apartment. We saw the film, I Need That Record, which chronicles the demise of the local independent record store—focusing on a few closing shops in Connecticut.


The film also has interviews with Thurston Moore, from Sonic Youth, and a handful of other music aficionados commenting on the current state of record stores. It portrayed the neighborhood record store as more than just a retail outlet, but as part of the community and a social place for people of all ages to go.

I left the film feeling very melancholic, and a little bit angry. I want to blame technology for what I think are the negative shifts in our culture, but it’s not really the technology to blame—it’s much more complicated and involves so many different factors. And I know, everything must change and evolve.

Mr. Peacock should make a documentary called, I Need That Magazine. I grew up reading and enjoying magazines. My mother was a magazine junkie, mind you she didn’t subscribe to Better Homes & Gardens, or Good Housekeeping—she bought Interview, Ms, Vanity Fair, Details (when it was a downtown Manhattan cultural guide), W, and Prevention (when it was just text and a few illustrations) to name a few. Of course my dad got all of the Golf Magazine titles, which bored me at the time.

Above: Some of my favorite Gourmet magazine issues—new and old.

I still enjoy the physical experience of sitting and reading a magazine, saving it and reading it again later on. I guess if I didn’t have that experience, and grew up only with the Internet, then maybe an online magazine would be a similar experience for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Internet and have many favorite online magazines, I still prefer to have a hard copy of some of my favorite issues. I’ve read the newspaper online for almost a decade, but I still like to buy a physical copy of the Sunday New York Times.

Mr. Peacock embraces and celebrates technology, but some of the side effects on our culture and society seem bittersweet. Of course I love blogs—which are sort of like the new form of leisure reading, instead of magazines. But I’m mourning the loss of many hard copy magazines (ie Gourmet), used bookstores, and local record shops.

I feel fortunate that I live in a city that has unique and independently owned stores and restaurants—all within walking distance of my home. It saddens me that a kid growing up somewhere outside of a big city will only have chain restaurants (the same ones across our country), Borders Bookstores, and Walmarts as choices for their local cultural experiences. Admittedly, these kids can find and explore the Internet—if they’re curious and long for something more, but it’s not the same social experience as the real thing.

Mr. Peacock’s hope for these endangered media favorites (magazines, local bookstores and record shops, and art film houses too) is that they start to reopen as niche shops that cater to a narrow clientele that specifically wants what they’re offering.

Our favorite local record shop, Aquarius Records (above), has weathered the storms for 30 years by focusing on offering a unique selection of music in a small shop—but also having a great website too (you can hear samples and read honest reviews). The staff is all music aficionados who love music—many are in bands too. That energy is reflected in the store.

There’s a fantastic bookstore nearby called Get Lost, which specializes in only travel books and maps. It’s great because if you’re going on vacation to say, Italy…you can go peruse everything on Italy. Yes, you can do that on Amazon too, but it’s different comparing titles in person. I admit, I succumb to the conveniece and the great prices on Amazon, but I still like to patronize my local shops too. I don’t want to end up with one monopoly online store.

Many great magazine titles have shut down in the past few years, but many new titles have also launched. So I'm optimistic about the longevity of magazines. One of my favorite launches from the past few years, Buckstyle, segued from a hardcopy magazine to a web magazine (you can read about BuckStyle's founder and editor, Steve Doyle, right here).

I think there’s still a market for magazines, but it’s a niche market that will be willing to pay more for a quality magazine. So the cost of publishing the magazine will weigh more on the reader (with a higher newsstand price), than relying on the income of selling advertisers. I look forward to the new titles that will launch in the coming years. There are only a few good local newsstands left in the city. Luckily, I can walk to almost all of them (see one above)! And support my favorite titles!

What’s your thoughts on the state of technology and media? Do you have a favorite little shop in your neighborhood?

Superbook of Things to Make

One summer in the early 1970’s, an aunt from Norway visited our family in Colorado. Aunt Åse, my mom’s stepsister, stayed for a month as part of her trip across the United States. She spent time with everyone in our family, but I really wanted to monopolize her time. I liked her because she laughed a lot. She also seemed interested in all of my craft projects that I showed (bored) her, and that made me like her even more. I was a crafty child—constantly making stuff, and always taking art classes. I think I was 10 years old at the time. I gave her a special tour of our neighborhood mall, which included a stop to one of my favorite shops, Bauble Mart (the bead and craft shop). The summer flew by and Åse went back to Oslo.

Above: The design of Superbook of Things to Make is very au courant now—with touches of decorative fonts. The font on the cover reminds me of this typeface.

Months later, deep in the middle of a Colorado winter (we actually had big snow storms then), I received a package from Norway—from Åse. I tore it open—it was a book called, Superbook of Things to Make. She purchased the book in London, on her way home to Norway. She signed the inside…thanking me (for making her summer trip so fun).

I was thrilled...and became obsessed with the book for the next year. I told my mom that I wanted to make every single project in the book. Superbook of Things to Make seemed a bit exotic too me then, because it was all in metrics, and the styling of the book seemed very modern.

I found my old treasured copy of Superbook of Things to Make at my mom’s house a few years ago, and it brought back all of the fun times I had reading it and making the projects as a kid.

Mr. Peacock still likes these “Clock Flowers”...in what looks like a cleanser can vase (painted white) .

I made this straw curtain with straws and beads from Bauble Mart.

My projects didn’t turn out looking as good as the photos in the book. I didn’t know they had art directors and stylists perfecting each project for the photos, and would sometimes get frustrated with my results. I wish I had a photograph of one of my projects from then—it would be a good laugh!

I made these planters out of old cleaning bottles, but I didn’t paint them as precisely as the book...

...and my seedlings didn’t get as bushy theirs either.

Mr. Peacock loves patchwork, but I didn’t get around to making this “Patchwork Wallpaper” project. I think it could still could be relevant for the right room. They used wallpaper sample books, but you could simply mix a few wallpaper patterns into a patchwork.

I see a glimpse of some red toile peeking through the chair and table.

Colored tape carefully patterned on a wall...

I like the diagram too!

Superbook of Things to Make was such a thoughtful gift. I wore the book out—the binding is ripped and the corners are tattered. Åse sent me another great gift a few years later when I started to study (and become obsessed with) Russian, but that’s another posting.

Any other crafty kids out there? You can buy a vintage copy of Superbook of Things to Make (by Pia Hsiao and Neil Lorimer) here. Did anyone else have Superbook of Things to Make as a kid, or have any other favorite childhood craft books?

NY Art Book Fair

If you’re in New York, put down your iPhone, Blackberry, laptop, whatever...and make a pilgrimage to the fourth annual NY Art Book Fair at P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center, in Long Island City, Queens this weekend.

Printed Matter, the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to publications made by artists, presents this Fair of over 200 international presses, booksellers, antiquarian dealers and independent artist/publishers.

The NY Art Book Fair is free and open to the public October 2-4, with a special preview and benefit for Printed Matter this evening. For a list of exhibitors, benefit tickets and more information click here.

Don’t miss the Manpurse IV: Assembly Line at the NY Art Book Fair. This custom screen print tote bag assembly line at the Fair is organized by one of Mr. Peacock’s favorite artists, J. Morrison. Get a custom "manpurse" and fill it with your book purchases.

Above: J. Morrison (center) printing custom totes (you could choose from various artwork) at last years NY Art Book Fair.

You can get a custom screen-printed tote bag, by some interesting contemporary artists including Slava Mogutin, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, J. Morrison, and more.

Here’s a sample of J. Morrison’s work. You may remember his silk screened red bandana I featured back in April. Photos above by Maria Chavez.

If you’re not in New York, don’t worry—you can still get some amazing art books and goodies at Printed Matter online. They stock an amazing assortment of artist books, periodicals, posters/cards, artwork, clothes and ephemera that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. So treat yourself to a book by an artist today!

Drawn to Cities…part 2

Mr. Peacock is looking forward to the release of the book, The City Out My Window: 63 Views on New York (thanks Abbie for the heads up!). The release date is November, but you can order a copy here.

Above: The view from Mikhail Baryshnikov's New York window.

The book is a collection of drawings by architect, illustrator, and author Matteo Pericoli (below) of window views of various New York inhabitants.

Each enchanting drawing is accompanied by a comment from the “owner” about their window view.

This is Nora Ephron's view of New York City from her window. I can imagine Ms. Ephron in front of her window thinking about the script for Julie & Julia.

The view from Graydon Carter's window.


Mr. Percoli has other amazing books including Manhattan Unfurled (above).

A detail from The East Side of Manhattan Unfurled.

Each time Mr. Peacock makes a pilgrimage to Ikea, I’m always in awe of the designs by Sissi Edholm & Lisa Ullenius (above). These talented graphic designers have a design studio, Edholm Ullenius, based in Stockholm, Sweden. There clients include Ikea, Absolut Vodka and Paul Smith.

Of course Mr. Peacock likes their illustration of city buildings (for Bookbinders Design).

You can’t walk through Ikea without seeing their charming work—including the 100% Cecilia fabric above—which only $5.99 a yard.

And I love their drawings of birds, including the pair above (also for a Bookbinders Design).

Another talented illustrator is Maija Louekari (above). Her clever work is featured in the upcoming book, Illusive-Contemporary Illustration Part 3.

Her iconic Hetkiä/Moments pattern (2003) for Marimekko, captures a "moment" in a city. The pattern is available on fabric and house-ware items (including the latte cups above, and tea towels).

Maija's Kippis drawing is available as a tray (above)—which would be perfect for serving cocktails on in any city! This "cheers" design is also on tea towels!

Mr. Peacock is drawn to these line drawings for their humanist qualities. They look like they were thoughtfully created by hand with pencils, pens, and paper (like my vintage cityscape contact paper )—and not created on a computer (although they could have been, and that's okay too). My point is, the heart and soul of these line drawings come from their creators, and that is what makes them so special in this age of high-speed technology. Mr. Peacock salutes these talented illustrators and artists!